This is going to be a fun post full of fun – and fascinating – facts. I’ve been listening to the Gluten E Summit ( which is free – you should be listening too) and madly writing down notes to pass on ( if you can’t listen).

If you’re thinking, “I don’t have problems with gluten” – You’re Probably Wrong!! Most gluten symptoms happen OTHER PLACES THAN THE GUT: the brain, the heart, joints, skin, etc. Got headaches, depression, or swollen knees? The chance that it could be caused by reactions to gluten are very high. What about your children: headaches, behavior problems, constipation? Again, there’s a good chance it’s reactions to gluten. You should just TRY eliminating gluten for a few weeks, or a month, and test what happens. (Eliminating means “100%”, I’ll explain why in a minute)

The doctors and researchers giving the presentations have credentials that take several minutes to go through – they’re all experts who study the absolute most current research available, and use that research in their practice. ***** (This is significant; according to an Institute of Medicine report on the state of the US Health Care System, it takes “it takes 17 years for new knowledge generated by randomized, controlled studies, to be incorporated into practice; and it even then application is highly uneven.” That should make you feel uneasy. It makes me more determined than ever to be my own best health advocate.

Here’s some bullet points from Monday and Tuesday’s Summit Talks:

No human can completely breakdown the protein gluten in their digestive system. No one. We don’t have the right enzymes. For some, there are little to no consequences, and for others, there are big consequences: neurological/cardiovascular/immune/joints/gut.

Gluten reactions and high blood sugars are highly involved in the plaques that cause Alzheimer’s and dementia. The Lancet Journal of Neurology says at least 54% of Alzheimer’s victims couldhave prevented their disease with different lifestyle choices. 54%.

Intestinal Antibodies to Gluten are there for at least 7 years before there’s any “villis-atrophy”. Translation: Just like with all disease, it takes years to cook/incubate/manifest, but damage ishappening way before a diagnosis.

Very low HDL is a marker of Gluten sensitivity and Celiac Disease.

“It is Mythological and Perverse information that fats cause Heart Disease and that a Lack of Fat helps you lose weight.”

The Brain must have fat ( saturated, mono-unsaturated, and Omegas), to function properly. Trans fats and an incorrect ratio of Omega 3/anti-inflammatory to Omega 6/inflammatory are very damaging.

Vascular Disease starts incredibly early: if the mother’s health or diet is compromised, it affects the fetus. Around 30% of children and teenagers have measurable markers of Heart Disease.

We have control over our levels of inflammation by just cutting back on Carbohydrates from flours and sugars. Get your CRP tested – it’s an incredibly accurate reflection of the level of inflammation in your body.

The Ideal Diet is High Fat/ Low Carb.

It can take 6 to 12 months to heal leaky gut, calm down antibodies to gluten, and eliminate symptoms. Patience is a virtue – and a necessity.

Gluten-Free needs to mean 100% Gluten Free. A little tiny bit of gluten triggers the same reaction a lot of gluten does.

The scientifically proven connections between autism and gluten are profound. Check out Liz Lipski and the Autism Research Institute to learn a TON.

That’s it for my wrap up, more soon.

Have you been remembering to focus on the mantra of the week: ” I practice being kind, not right.” ? Practice deleting negative thoughts from your brain. Nothing changes when nothing changes, know what I mean? Change happens when you do something different: think differently, feel differently, focus differently. Read my post here and here to get a feel for what I’m talking about.

If you spend time in the car or time in the kitchen, it’s a great opportunity to listen to podcasts and youtubes that improve your health, your focus, and your life. Take advantage of all the FREE information put out there by prominent members of the medical community. Because much of their advice stems from diet and lifestyle changes, and not pharmaceuticals (aka $$$$$), you’ll need to search it out. This isn’t information that just lands in your lap or that you’ll hear from your GP; but it’s there and it’s incredibly accessible, and FREE. Go for it! And remember, “I practice being kind, not right. “